Escape into films

Halloween Picks (Suburban Gothic/Don’t Kill It/Tale of Tales)

Well hello there boils and ghouls [insert cryptkeeper cackle here]. It’s Halloween Eve (yes to some of us that is actually a thing) so I’ve taken some time out from decorating and baking terrifying treats to suggest some films you might have missed to watch tomorrow for Halloween – even better they’re all currently on Netflix which you probably already have, or can easily get a free month trial for!

Suburban Gothic

This film had a limited cinema release back in 2015, coming out on VOD at the same time. Suburban Gothic tells the story of the dejected MBA grad Raymond (Matthew Gray Gubler, Criminal Minds) who, unable to find a job, moves back home to his parents and discovers that the weird gift he had as a kid for connecting with spirits is going to come in very useful. Joined by friend, bartender and partner-in-crime Becca (Kat Dennings, 2 Broke Girls), Raymond sets out to fix a wrong from the past that is haunting the family home. The premise is fairly light and quirky, with a bit of a goth Pushing Daisies-vibe to it making Suburban Gothic an accessible comedy-horror for all. It also features some great performances from Ray Wise (Reaper), Mel Rodrigues (The Last Man on Earth), and the legendary cult filmmaker John Waters, the film boasts strong acting talent along with a witty script that’ll make both teens and adults laugh. If you’re looking for a horror that won’t terrify but will entertain this would be a great choice.

Rating: 4/5 A light and frothy horror comedy that is low on gore and high on laughs.

Don’t Kill It

New to Netflix, Don’t Kill It is a horror-comedy of a very different type to the one above. Weird, darkly funny and packed with hyper-violence and gore, this is possibly not for the faint of heart but a seasoned horror fan is going to love it. An ancient demon is on the loose, possessing and rampaging through a small unaware town. Jebediah Woodley (Dolph Lundgren, Universal Soldier) is the demon Hunter tasked to stop this demon before it’s too late, with the help of FBI agent Evelyn Pierce (Kristina Klebe, Killer Mermaid). It’s not entirely your typical horror storyline with a good few surprises along the way hinting at some interesting ideas should a sequel materialise – which I don’t often hope for but a sequel here would be most welcome. Don’t Kill It is great fun and full of frights, and this is definitely one of Dolph’s best performances in years as the grizzled hero with a cause. He’s grumpy, he’s on a mission, and he’s truly funny with it – it’s impossible not to root for him.

Rating 5/5 A gore-filled flick with a proper hero and a lot of amusing deaths.

Tale of Tales

Now if you’re looking for something that has some darkness, some fun, and comes wrapped up in some gorgeous cinematography then might I suggest Tale of Tales? Debuted at Cannes in 2015, this dark fantasy film takes three early versions of famous fairy tales and intertwines them into a beautiful yet surreal film. Tale of Tales has a fantastic cast including Salma Hayek (From Dust Till Dawn), John C. Reilly (Wreck-It Ralph) and Toby Jones (Wayward Pines), and some truly stunning settings. This film takes fairy tales in completely the opposite direction of Disney, to a nasty and dark place with a strong horror feel. This film is less about gore and more the horror of the characters actions, with a fair dose of morality tales thrown in for good measure. I originally came across this film by accident and ended up enthralled watching it, it’s dark and moody, weird and wonderful, and stunningly beautiful to watch. To say anymore would be to spoil the film, but if you are looking for something a little off the wall and not your typical horror film then you should give this a go.

Rating: 4.5/5 A beautifully visualised dark fantasy that doesn’t do anything in the way you’d expect.

So there you go – three very different films that are definitely worth watching this Halloween that you may have missed. As mentioned before they are all currently available on Netflix, so you haven’t even got to go out and track them down. Have a very happy and fright-filled Halloween!